MANUFACTURING

The increased number of employees working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a pleasantly surprising trend—a rise in pet adoptions and fosters. A major contributor to animal-welfare causes, footwear brand Skechers, has increased its commitment to finding homes for shelter animals. In addition to its Bobs from Skechers collection, which donates a portion from the sale of each pair to the Petco Foundation, the Manhattan Beach, Calif., company donated $509,000 to the organization during the first quarter of 2020.

“Many in the country are working from home or are under stay-at-home orders and are feeling isolated. Adopting an animal can make the difference,” Skechers president Michael Greenberg said. “Consumers love the comfortable styles and give-back message of Bobs from Skechers. We’re grateful that through their purchases, we’ve been able to donate $509,000 already in 2020, help thousands of animal welfare agencies during this challenging time and enable them to offer companionship to all of those people who are sheltering in place across our nation.”

The most-recent contribution increased Skechers total donation figure to $5.45 million that has been given to animal-welfare causes.

“Skechers is truly making a difference,” Susanne Kogut, president of Petco Foundation, said. “Animal-welfare organizations across the country have been forced to innovate and operate in new ways, including mobilizing record numbers of foster homes to care for pets to support social distancing measures while saving animal lives. Thanks to Bobs, many of our organizations can continue their lifesaving work and connect their shelter pets with those who would like to adopt them.”

Through its life-saving contributions that have been donated since 2016, Skechers reports that it has helped 661,000 animals find homes through pet adoptions, in addition to supporting the care of an additional 371,000 animals at nurseries, sanctuaries and medical facilities. With an eye toward helping more animals find homes and care, the Bobs from Skechers program expanded into Canada in January 2020.